Ma Chao

Ma Chao (176–222),courtesy name Mengqi, was a military general and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period. He also appears as a prominent character in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as one of the Five Tiger Generals under Liu Bei.

Family background

Ma Chao was from Maoling County (茂陵縣), Youfufeng Commandery (右扶風郡), which is located northeast of present-day Xingping, Shaanxi. He was the eldest son of Ma Teng, who descended from Ma Yuan, a general who lived in the early Eastern Han dynasty. Ma Teng's father, Ma Ping (馬平), whose courtesy name was "Zishuo" (子碩), served as a military officer in Tianshui Commandery (天水郡) during the reign of Emperor Huan. After losing his post, Ma Ping went to live among the Qiang tribes in the region, married a Qiang woman and had a son, Ma Teng. Ma Teng, along with Han Sui and others, were warlords who held considerable influence in Liang Province (covering parts of present-day Shaanxi and Gansu) towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, and they were reluctant to submit to Han rule. In 192, Ma Teng accepted the title "General Who Attacks the West" (征西將軍) from the Han imperial court and garrisoned his army at Mei County (郿縣). However, he rebelled against Han rule later and attacked the city of Chang'an but failed to conquer it so he retreated back to Liang Province.